Dear John,
The possibility of passing meaningful legislation now that the Democrats are in control of the House of Delegates and the state Senate is very exciting.
I am committed to working with my colleagues to increase pay for teachers, bolster funding for our public schools, improve access to mental health services, support programs that give Virginians a hand-up and create more pathways for economic prosperity.
Ideally, there will be areas within theses priorities that Governor Youngkin can join us in supporting. I expect the most contentious conversations with the Governor will be over tax and spend policies. More details on this topic will be fleshed out as the session evolves and I will keep you posted.
Unfortunately, there will likely be other topics that the Democratically controlled General Assembly and Governor Youngkin will clash over. I expect the automatic restoration of voting rights for ex felons through a constitutional amendment is one such topic. Moreover, language in Virginia’s Constitution states that marriage is between “one man and one woman” is expected to be another area of disagreement. But it is critical that the General Assembly take steps to enable voters to remove this language, given the proclivities of the U.S. Supreme Court.
My legislative priorities for the 2024 session are noted below:
Fighting for a Woman’s Right to Bodily Autonomy:
--Access to Abortion Care. I am a sponsor on legislation that would place a constitutional amendment protecting access to abortion care before the voters. We are expecting every Democratic lawmaker to sign onto this bill.
--Protecting Menstrual Health Data Stored on Apps. I am resubmitting a bill that I sponsored last year that protects such data from search warrants. This time around some conservative groups have indicated interest in supporting the bill.
--Making Virginia a Safe Haven. Individuals who travel to Virginia for an abortion from a state that bans abortions and Virginia doctors and healthcare providers who perform abortions for these individuals would be protected from extradition.
Gun Safety:
--Removing Firearms from Domestic Abusers. Once again, I am sponsoring a bill that would ensure that an individual who is convicted of assaulting a family or household member or is the subject of a protective order relinquishes his/her firearm, as the law requires. There is evidence to suggest that the relinquishment of firearms through the legally permitted transfer process is not taking place. Delegate Elizabeth Bennett-Parker is the sponsor of this bill in the House.
I will actively be supporting and co-sponsoring legislation that bans assault weapons and legislation that requires safe firearm storage. We expect these common-sense measures to pass each chamber and land on the Governor's desk. This will give Governor Youngkin the opportunity to show us whether he stands with most Virginians or with extremists.
K-12 Public Education:
--Fund Public Schools. Stop any diversion of public funds to support charter schools. Such a diversion takes limited and precious funding away from our public school systems.
--Increase Teacher Pay. Virginia continues to suffer shortages of trained classroom teachers and the quality of the teacher is the most important factor in a child’s success.
--Ensure that the IEP Process Works. Students with disabilities must receive the instruction and services necessary to succeed. My legislation makes reforms to the IEP process to provide greater support to educators and more opportunities for parental engagement in the IEP process. Delegate Carrie Coyner, a Republican lawmaker in the House of Delegate, is carrying the companion bill.
Climate Change:
-- New Roofs to be Solar Ready on New Schools. If at least 50 percent of a school building is being replaced or a new school building is being constructed, the school system must install roofs that are solar ready. There is a process for waiving this provision under certain conditions.
Foster Youth:
--Kinship Care. This effort prioritizes placing youth at risk of being removed from their families with relatives and fictive kin. The goal is to prevent youth from ever entering the foster care system.
My Kinship Care legislation will provide support and follow-up services to host families as well as financial help. Governor Youngkin’s team is working with me on this initiative, and I am hopeful we can accomplish something very meaningful for our vulnerable youth.
Health Care:
I am sponsoring several bills to improve access to care as well as a patient’s experience with the health care system. These bills include among other healthcare initiatives:
--A limitation on the drug pre-authorization requirement;
--A requirement for insurance companies to offer providers incentives for co-locating mental health services with primary care services;
--Prompt payment on the part of insurance companies in response to provider claims;
--Incentives for expanding and bolstering community based systems of care for mental health services.
Social Justice:
At the request of the Humanization Project, I have submitted a bill to take Virginia’s re-entry efforts to a new level.
--Bolster the Re-Entry System for Offenders. My legislation enables non-violent offenders to earn a Certificate of Rehabilitation and it provides liability protection for landlords and employers when they step-up and offer to give ex-offenders a chance at building a new life.
Session starts on January 10th and I will be sending out weekly updates on General Assembly activities. Please sign up for my weekly newsletters here.
It is an honor and privilege to serve you.
